Federal Judge, Jed S. Rakoff, Tells the SEC to do its Job

Citigroup Settlement Tossed: Judge Tells SEC To Get It Together

Citigroup as it has so many times is paying a fine without admitting wrongdoing, except this time it didn’t happen. The judge who was expected to solemnly okay the usual nonsense did nothing of the kind. He refused to play the game like a good boy. What’s going to happen now?

The lack of admission was the main reason Jed S. Rakoff, a Clinton-appointed U.S. district judge, said he decided to throw out the settlement. An admission of guilt or innocence is a matter of significant public interest, he said. “The court, and the public, need some knowledge of what the underlying facts are,” wrote Rakoff. “For otherwise, the court becomes a mere handmaiden to a settlement privately negotiated on the basis of unknown facts, while the public is prevented from ever knowing the truth in a matter of obvious importance.”